Sunday, April 10, 2005

Faurisson petition

MrMyke asks about the Faurisson petition and provides a link to the text of the petition, "... have you read the petition Chomsky signed? In it Chomsky by signature calls Faurisson "respected” cites his "extensive research" and uses the words "strongly support". Hardly seems "misleading" then merely to say Chomsky supports Faurisson, yes?"

Text of petition:

“Dr. Robert Faurisson has served as a respected professor of twentieth-century French literature and document criticism for over four years at the University of Lyon-2 in France. Since 1974 he has been conducting extensive independent historical research into the ‘Holocaust’ question. Since he began making his findings public, Professor Faurisson has been subject to a vicious campaign of harassment, intimidation, slander and physical violence in a crude attempt to silence him. Fearful officials have even tried to stop him from further research by denying him access to public libraries and archives. We strongly protest these efforts to deprive Professor Faurisson of his freedom of speech and expression, and we condemn the shameful campaign to silence him. We strongly support Professor Faurisson's just right of academic freedom and we demand that university and government officials do everything possible to ensure his safety and the free exercise of his legal rights. ”

MrMyke, thank you for the link to the text. Reading the petition can you not see that your characterization of what the petition says is inaccurate and unfair? In the context of what you call "Holocaust Denial" you complain that "Chomsky by signature calls Faurisson "respected." But that is extremely misleading. Reading the petition we see that "respected" refers to Faurisson's work at the University of Lyon-2.

See: "Dr. Robert Faurisson has served as a respected professorof twentieth-century French literature and document criticism for over four years at the University of Lyon-2 in France. "

You complain that the petition cites Faurisson's "extensive research." Actually the petition refers to "extensive independent historical research" in a separate sentence. A fair reading of it means it is not referring to Faurisson's work at the University of Lyon-2 which is what the word "respected" was restricted to. The word "independent" makes that clear. The sentence reads, "Since 1974 he has been conducting extensive independent historical research into the "Holocaust" question." Omitting the word "independent" is misleading, is it not? Note that you are not the only one that I have seen drop that word. In fact Werner Cohn (http://www.wernercohn.com/Chomsky.html) omits the word and Rachel Neuwirth (http://www.americanthinker.com/articles.php?article_id=4157) cites Cohn's version.

If we apply the standard you seem to want to apply to others, for example David Irving, should you, Cohn, and Neuwirth be banished forever from public discourse because of your dishonesty?

And you complain that the petition "uses the words "strongly support"". The final sentence makes it clear what is supported in the petition: "We strongly support Professor Faurisson's just right of academic freedom and we demand that university and government officials do everything possible to ensure his safety and the free exercise of his legal rights. ”

Note that Rachel Neuwirth also omits the final sentence that I just quoted! (see http://www.americanthinker.com/articles.php?article_id=4157) The sentence that explicitly states what it is that is being supported, "Professor Faurisson'sjust right of academic freedom, and it demands that officials of the university and government "ensure his safety and the free exercise of his legal rights."